McKenzie Ancestors Scrapbook – Check
Bank – Check
Grandma’s Prescriptions – Check
Hunger Games Class - Check
Devotional - Check
House Clean
Dishes Clean
Kids Fed – Check (only because I didn’t have to cook today)
T.E.A.C.H. Co-Op Yearbook – Check
Kids in Bed – Check
Totally Exhausted – Check
Blog Post – Check
Signing Off - Check
About 3 weeks ago I read the Hunger Games, after the first movie came out. I know, I know, people have been raving about them for years, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to read them after a little research into the basic idea of the books. I remembered reading “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson the final day of my Honors English class my sophomore year, and felt that this series just expounded on that theme, and that it was a disturbing theme. I also was pretty sure I didn’t want my daughters to read them . . . at least not yet.
Rebecca finally convinced me that all her friends from co-op had read them . . . and that she was old enough she could handle them, her Grandma agreed that she should read them, and Brad wanted to read them as well, so we finally borrowed the books from Grandma.
Rebecca stayed up until almost 3 in the morning finishing the first book, and Brad also made time to read every night. I still wasn’t convinced, and as usual I was to busy to find time to read, but one afternoon I was headed out the door and knew I would have 2 hours just waiting around, so I grabbed The Hunger Games to read.
This is from Rebecca’s facebook account.
She really enjoyed teasing me about being obsessed with reading the trilogy. When I said I was done, I had completed all 3 books.
I did really enjoy the books, and I read them really fast, but I knew that I really needed to discuss them with Rebecca. There was so much in the books that I didn’t know if she understood, or if I even understood them.
My new friend Kristal told me about an online class from Leadership Education Academy that was on The Hunger Games, for youth, and that they encouraged parents to join their youth. I was probably more excited about the class than Rebecca. We finally got signed up, late, and have been trying to do about 3 weeks worth of work in the past 3 days. I am really enjoying reading the first book again, slower this time, and looking for things like allusion, foreshadowing, symbolism, etc. I feel almost like I’m back in high school, because I haven’t read a book in this manner for so long, and I need a reminder on literary devices.
I started out with watching this free webinar for parents on the appropriateness of allowing our children to read The Hunger Games. I remember learning about Utopian novels in high school, but I don’t ever remember hearing the term Dystopia before, even though I know I read Animal Farm, “The Lottery”, and loved Wrinkle In Time, which are all dystopian.
This has been a great reminder for me that I need to continue my education, and that the best way to inspire my kids, is to lead the way and invite them to join with me.
So, I’ve been taking notes, observing Truths, and Aha’s in the book, and thinking about what I can write a paper on for the final class, because, even though technically I’m auditing the class, I plan on writing the paper. Look for it in about 4 weeks.
My 3 older kids had a crucible experience today. They performed in the Cantus Youth Choirs Finale Concert: Guilty Pleasures. It was an amazing concert! Fun songs, soul stirring songs, fabulous music, and young singers with great talents, and well trained respect that allows everyone’s hard work and dedication to shine through.
What is a crucible experience? I just really began to understand that concept myself today as I listened to a the mp3 Crucible Experiences: Why Every Scholar Needs Them, by Kathy Mellor and Andrew Hummiston from the 2011 TJED Forum. As I understand it a crucible experience in one in which you grow and become a better person. It is greatly enhanced by having a mentor to lead you through this experience and to help you discover and understand the experience and gain additional learning.
They explained that there are 4 types of crucible experiences. The first type is a Prepared Public Performance. This is what my kids experienced tonight. Over the past few months they have been working diligently with their Mentors (the conductors) gain experience and training in their musical abilities. They have been practicing on their own, or with SmartMusic to perfect and memorize their parts, and then returning each week to the mentors for more instruction, clarification, and additional assignments.
Tonight was the crucible, where their practice, diligence, hard work and training was put to the test. They got up in front of a large audience, their hearts raced, adrenaline pumped, they fought butterflies and didn’t panic. They performed marvelously. They became better people, they learned that they could do it, and with each concert they become better and more confident in their abilities.
I’m thankful for the many mentors and volunteers that are a part of Cantus, for providing my children with this amazing opportunity to be a part of a choir, to be challenged, to be taught, to find joy in music, singing, and performing. These are experiences that I don’t know how to give my children any other way, and they are so important to their development as outstanding youth.
She loves to talk, and wants to be heard. She will repeat the same thing over and over again until she is sure that you have heard her and responded to her. (Sometimes this can be a little annoying.) I think she is going to be a great communicator, because, “ok”, “yes” and “sure”, don’t count as an appropriate response. She actually wants to hear you repeat back what she is telling you, which is a great communication skill.
“I’m Happy” & “You’re my Friend” are 2 of my favorite things that I hear from my 4 year old MaryAnn. She loves to come tell me “I’m happy” and I love to hear it, it brightens my day and helps me to remember the importance of a happy attitude! She also like to count and name her friends. She will say, “Becca’s my friend, Isaac’s my friend, Emily’s my friend, Kevin’s my friend, and You’re my friend.”
I am so happy that she has a relationship with all of her siblings. I know that homeschooling allows her to spend time with her older siblings and that they get to love and serve each other everyday, and that is so important to me.
I’m happy and I’m so glad that MaryAnn is not only my friend, but my daughter, and I love her so much!
Another day has come and gone – and I crazy one at that. Co-op is the only thing right now that we have to get up and get gone for – and I love that. I really enjoy sleeping in and snuggling with my kids in the morning. We left the house this morning with dishes still on the table, we did put all the food away though.
Co-op itself was crazy with trying to get the rest of the pictures needed for the yearbook, and figure out what classes are going to be offered next semester. I volunteered to teach 3 different classes, so I won’t know for awhile which one I am teaching, it just depends on how the schedule works itself out for all the different teachers and levels and classes. I’m glad we have such amazing directors who figure all the at out and keep the co-op running so smoothly.
I had another silly doctors appointment. It kind of drives me crazy to drive 20 minutes to pee in a cup, get my blood pressure taken, and see the doctor for 5 minutes. I can feel the baby kick, I have not symptoms, and no questions, so I’m out the door for the 20 minute drive home. I’d rather have been sleeping, which is exactly what I did as soon as I walked in the door. (My 2 older girls were already napping, while the young kids entertained themselves with the X-BOX, what’s wrong with this picture, nothing!)
An hour later I had to wake up and take the girls to a choir activity. I sat in the car and used my laptop. At least I was able to get a few things done.
When we got home again it was time to eat a late late dinner, read scriptures and then I actually joined Brad and the kids in playing a game. Trek to Zion is the game I got the family for Easter, and I’ve never had a chance to play it yet. It was fun, and we had a great time, and I almost won.
Thankfully my husband loaded the dishwasher before heading to bed, while I indexed my batch for the day (I should do 3 more before they expire, oops) and wrote my blog post.
Good Night!
Did I mention that I am always busy. It isn’t that I have 5 kids and one on the way – it is just that I am a person who doesn’t like to be idle very much. I have finally come to terms with my need to take naps when I am pregnant, but if I don’t go to sleep within about 10 minutes I usually just get up and get at it again.
I always have about 15+ things that I am involved in, would like to be involved in, or have already started working on that I should finish. Right now I am in the middle of 2 big scrapbook projects, both which need to be finished in about a week. I also have a dress for MaryAnn cut out, ready to sew together, several books I’d like to read, a movie to watch with my girls, several webinars that I’d like to watch, emails to write, a menu to plan, oh, and did I mention I am pregnant and need to find the crib, the diapers, the baby clothes, etc.
I’ve been happily working away today, greatly assisted by one busy Emily, who has taken over a lot of the household chores that 2 weeks ago were my responsibility. I have gotten a lot done on my scrapbooking projects, we worked out in the yard for a little while, I took a nap (about 11 this morning) and in general I was feeling really good about everything that I had accomplished today. Until . . .
I realized that tomorrow is my day to teach at co-op, and I haven’t planned my lesson. Unfortunately, that is the way I usually am when it comes to my lesson prep. It isn’t the way that I want to be . . . I’d love to have everything planned out ahead of time, have my TJED Closet prepared to open in the morning and have an amazing school day with my kids.
I attended a class at the TJED Forum titled Your Core Phase: 7 Simple Steps to Being the Happiest, Most Powerful YOU so You Can Show Your Kids How by Mindy Heath. The first step she gave us was to find out 1)Who Are You? I found this interesting because at a recent DHSA Mother’s meeting we had talked about this concept of who were are, when we aren’t a homeschooling Mom, what do we like to do. It was a fun show and tell and we got to know each other on a different level. Our challenge was to spend some quiet time writing down everything that is on our plate, and how much time it takes. By everything she meant, physically, mentally, and spiritually, anything that we are responsible for, care about or worry about. As I was writing this brief list in my blog post I remembered this challenge, it seems scary to even begin to make a list like this, I think I will be overwhelmed.
I’m not ready to make this list tonight – I still have to finish preparing for tomorrows class.
